Wigan boss Martinez gets Rodallega injury boost

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez received a welcome injury boost on Tuesday as he discovered that Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega won't be out for as long as first feared. Rodallega had to be carried off in the closing moments of Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Everton after a challenge from Denis Stracqualursi. Martinez initially feared Rodallega - who was hugely influential in Wigan staying up last season - had suffered serious knee ligament damage and would be out for up to three months. But, while Martinez cannot give a timescale for the Colombian's return, scans have shown his recovery will not take as long as the Latics previously thought. "The scans came back really positively, it doesn't seem there are any big concerns in terms of the structure of the knee," Martinez told Wigan's website. "We won't know how long he's exactly going to be out but what's clear is that the injury is not as bad as we first thought. "It's fantastic news and now we are going to make sure that Hugo recovers well and gets back on the football pitch as quickly as possible. "He's the sort of player who lives to play the game, so he will be desperate to get fit."